The rhetoric coming from Disney, ABC News, and The View was very dark and very dangerous during Friday’s pre-recorded episode. Staunchly racist co-host, Sunny Hostin lashed out Democrats and accused them of “not meeting the moment” to oppose the “existential crisis” that was President Trump. In an apparent call to violence, she demanded that they learn from older generations and be “willing to fight and die for their rights!”
Hostin’s wrath was triggered by the 10 Democrats who joined with Republicans in the bipartisan censure of Texas Representative Al Green (D) for his disruption of Trump’s address to Congress. Passing along a list of their names to moderator Joy Behar, Hostin demanded that their names be read “Because they don't know how to fight and be part of an opposition party.”
She started shouting about how “Green gave them the example” and that “Democrats are not meeting the moment.” She went on to shout – without evidence – that it was “clear” Trump was going to kill people. She wanted Democrats to be like older generations who “knew what they had to do” and were “willing to fight and die for their rights”:
It is very clear that Medicaid is on the table. It is very clear that Social Security is on the table. It is very clear that people will die! The baby boomers, the civil rights generation, they knew what they had to do! They were willing to fight and die for their rights! This generation of Congress, they are not meeting the moment! This is an existential crisis!
It sounded very much like a call to violence from the Disney and ABC News co-host.
“They should be ashamed at themselves! They should have all walked out with him!” Hostin continued to decry those Democrats who valued decorum in the House chamber.
Behar was shocked to read some of the names on the list Hostin gave her: “Jim Himes – Tim Himes [sic], I would never have thought that. (…) Jared Moskowitz – What?! (…) and Tom Suozzi (…) He's a New York guy, by the way.”
“Respectfully, though, there are a lot of people who saw the outburst differently including Democrats,” noted faux conservative Alyssa Farah Griffin. As she started to mock Democrats for their ridiculous antics during Trump’s address, Hostin rudely interrupted to get back on talking about Green:
FARAH GRIFFIN: Which was, if you're going to protest and be an opposition party, do it with intentionality and make sure it works. Holding up signs is protesting -- are they being advised by people who use, like, Windows 98? It's the most outdated, like, inconsistent –
HOSTIN: We're talking about Green.
Hostin also refused acknowledge that Trump had a mandate from voters:
FARAH GRIFFIN: To his point – I get his point on Medicaid but this mandate point. If Democrats are going to keep arguing ‘we only lost by X-million of votes.’ That is not the winning message that you guys think that it is.
HOSTIN: He doesn't have a mandate.
FARAH GRIFFIN: How many votes do you meet to require to have a mandate?
As overt as Hostin’s incendiary rhetoric was here, it wasn’t the first time it was flashed on the show. Back in July, after Trump was literally shot in the head, she defended the continued use of inciting rhetoric against Trump. In December, she made excuses for assassinating healthcare executives.
When will Sunny Hostin’s dangerous rhetoric be too much for ABC and Disney? When it’s too late?
The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read:
ABC’s The View
March 7, 2025
11:04:56 a.m. Eastern(…)
JOY BEHAR: But it didn't unite them all because 10 Democrats voted to censure green.
SUNNY HOSTIN: Do you want a list of the ten? [Slides note card to Behar]
BEHAR: Do you want to hear their names?
HOSTIN: Yes, I do.
BEHAR: Why go after them too? Go after the Republicans.
HOSTIN: Because they don't know how to fight and be part of an opposition party.
[Applause]
Representative Green gave them the example. The Democrats are not meeting the moment. It is very clear that Medicaid is on the table. It is very clear that Social Security is on the table. It is very clear that people will die! The baby boomers, the civil rights generation, they knew what they had to do! They were willing to fight and die for their rights! This generation of Congress, they are not meeting the moment! This is an existential crisis!
[Applause]
BEHAR: And also I might point out some of them are from the most liberal states like New York, Hawaii, California.
HOSTIN: They should be ashamed at themselves! They should have all walked out with him!
ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN: Three of them are from districts Trump won.
BEHAR: Okay, here is a question: Where was all this talk about decorum from Republicans when Marjorie Taylor Greene was screaming at Biden?
[Applause]
Okay. All right. Now, you want to hear who they are. I'm going to read them. Ami Bera, Ed Case, Jim Costa, Lauren Gillen, Jim Himes – Tim Himes, I would never have thought that. Chrissy Houlahan, Marcy Kaptur. Jared Moskowitz – What?! Marie Gluesenkamp Perez from Washington, and Tom Suozzi.
FARAH GRIFFIN: Respectfully, though, there are a lot of people who saw the outburst differently including Democrats. Which was, if you're going to protest and be an opposition party, do it with intentionality and make sure it works. Holding up signs is protesting -- are they being advised by people who use, like, Windows 98? It's the most outdated, like, inconsistent –
HOSTIN: We're talking about Green.
FARAH GRIFFIN: To his point – I get his point on Medicaid but this mandate point. If Democrats are going to keep arguing ‘we only lost by X-million of votes.’ That is not the winning message that you guys think that it is.
HOSTIN: He doesn't have a mandate.
[Crosstalk]
BEHAR: Can I just tell you what Suozzi said?
FARAH GRIFFIN: How many votes do you meet to require to have a mandate?
BEHAR: He's a New York guy, by the way. “Both parties must hold themselves to the same standards we expect from the other side.” See, they're going to a gun fight with a knife as they say.
(…)
